After the recent tragedy at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, an all too familiar feeling is lingering. Rather than being as utterly horrified and shocked as we would have been years ago, for many, this type of news comes with more of a dulled pain and disappointment by the way our world has turned. We've almost become numb to the news. Of course, that's not to say that we aren't horrified. No, it doesn't cause as much of an uproar as it would have years ago, but it's safe to say we won't stop raving about this incident nor the Times Square crash for some time-- but not in the right ways.

Why is it that almost all of us know who Omar Mateen and James Holmes are, yet we likely can't name a single one of the people they killed? Why is it that many of us know that Holmes had a poster from the movie Anchorman in his apartment, broke up with a recent girlfriend, and was 'elite' in his studies of neuroscience at the University of Colorado Denver?

The honest answer is that we have made them famous. Even the smallest detail of their lives becomes interesting to us after these incidents. Things like what the family, friends, and loved ones of the attacker have to say is intriguing. Sure, it might benefit those directly related to the incident or relevant research to learn these things, but to the general population, it's about the curiosity and astonishment it evokes in us. To the millions of people that these stories reach, we'd be lying to ourselves saying that we had any real use for the information.

That, of course, is not necessarily our faults. The media knows that these types of things are eye-catching and they tailor their content toward that for a reason. The people want to know what the attacker's ex-girlfriend has to say. The people want to know what he was watching on Netflix or saying on Facebook live just minutes before the attack. People do want to know, because, naturally, we are curious.

However, think of what the implications of the above are to a mentally deranged person. As the media ramps up more and more coverage on these types of subject matters, these types of attacks have become more and more frequent. Now, I know that correlation does not mean causation, but decide for yourself whether the amount we still hear about attackers like James Holmes five years after his creatively gruesome escapade has anything to do with the increased amount of similar attacks at soccer stadiums, night clubs, and concert venues. Would these types of things still happen on such a large scale in a world where they weren't guaranteed widespread media coverage for years to follow? Well, I'll tell you one thing, they didn't.

Neither of the aforementioned men are necessarily terrorists, giving us even less reason to harp on their likely non-affiliated, internally motivated attacks. Yet, we remain intrigued. Terrorists, on the other hand, literally commit their violent crimes for the sake of grasping at the media and advancing their cause. We actually know that terrorists do it largely for the publicity, and we give it to them.

So, how can we change this?

Of course, it's more complicated than media coverage. To some extent, mentally deranged people will be mentally deranged people no matter how many shares they get on Facebook. However, when it comes to terrorism, we can make the choice to stop sharing. Terrorists are often technically sane individuals who are sacrificing themselves in one way or another because they've seen the large-scale attention that these acts get and find it useful to advancing their cause. When it comes to lone wolf attacks, it's no secret that we publicize them just as much and that many attackers gain international recognition within minutes.

So, please...

If the attacker is identified in the recent Manchester bombing, I challenge you to take the time to consider what it is you're supporting when you share articles about him or her. By all means, read it, take in the information, reflect, and inform yourself about the world around you, but no matter how infuriated it makes you, consider making the decision not to share something that this person would want you to. Consider what type of attention you're giving this person and whatever cause they may be supporting. Consider being the first of many others to make that decision and give the simplest bit you can to shaping a better world.

Let's see what can happen if we put an end to the attention we dish out to these crimes. Let's see if we can change the way we bestow instant fame on anyone who destroys lives and takes children from their families. Let's see if making an incredibly simple decision to not endorse this type of publicity can put an end to the loss of innocent lives for the sake of a spectacle. Let's see if we can stop making heinous people famous.